Forget The World – Afrojack – In the world of major league DJs put Afrojack behind Calvin Harris and Avicii, mining the exact same AOR pop with EDM effects and vocal guest stars -including Sting on one. The songs aren’t good enough – C
A Matter Of Trust The Bridge To Russia The Music – Billy Joel – From his 1987 tour to the USSR, and I get why he released it though it is essentially useless except for the rehearsal take on “She Loves You” – B-
Revelation – The Brian Jonestown Experience – Not as good as Aufheben, but not bad garage rock with a flash of psychedelia – B
Upside Down Mountain – Conor Oberst – Laurel Canyon blah blah blah, this is an average Conor album, as good as say The People’s Key. Pretty melodies, heartfelt vocals, nice haircut – B+
The Fault In Our Stars – V/A – Pretty bunch of modern singer songwriterly stuff from a movie about kids dying of cancer. Jake Bugg’s “Simple As This” is a terrific song – B-
The Garden Spot Programs, 1950 – Hank Williams – Are you in the market for yet another version of “Lovesick Blues” off some very obscure radio program? So am I. Hang around for “Jesus Remembered Me” – A
The Journey – Jamie Lee Spears – When all else fails go country. Britney’s kid sister rides the name a little longer – C
Best Of John Doe: This Far – John Doe – We have a word for this nowadays, Americana. And while I think we can all agree there is nothing here as great as, say, “See Who We Are”, there is a constant excellence and a reminder of how great the man be. “The Golden State” is as good as anything but the best by X – A-
Goin’ Home – Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Former blues boy wonder still forging a career with this home town set on a new label. The Stevie ray Vaughn “House Is A Rockin'” is superb and nothing here doesn’t work: Albert Kind, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, BB King -these are very powerful blues that aims at nothing else and hits its mark unerringly. A great set of songs – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A
the Long Goodbye – LCD Soundsystem – The entire MSG farewell show in one place. I asked WB to send me a copy -ha, that’s a joke. I was at the show and loved it but I’m pretty sure I won’t play this very often – B+
Definitely Maybe – Oasis – The album plus demos and a live show. Now all the Beatles ripoff stuff is over, this sounds like one of the greatest albums of all time and more just makes it better – A+
Behind The Light – Phillip Phillips – American Idol winner, MOR pop star,overdoes it sure and a lot of this is a bore, but not all of it. “Open Your Eyes” is quite good – C+
Complete Rarities I.R.S. 1982 – 1987 – R.E.M. had a golden age and for many people it was this, but I didn’t much care for em till they broke pop, so consider my grade a matter of taste – C+
Complete Warner Brothers Rarities 1988 – 2011 – As mentioned, I have a golden age for R.E.M> and it is 1991 to 1996 -five years that they could do no wrong in. So obviously, I prefer this compilation which covers it and very well indeed. Wow, “First We Take Manhattan”!!! I haven’t heard this since the Cohen tribute – B+
Unplugged 1991/2001: The Complete Sessions – Very tasteful acoustic sets, three complete live shows. Lovely but snoozy – B-
… and then you shoot your cousin – The Roots – I never got the concept of leaving a coupla of tracks off the streaming album in the hopes somebody will buy. This is typical dreary dark blank Roots – C-
Smoke Fairies – Smoke Fairies – Indie pop with a nice rolling drum sound – B-
